Pomegranate

The pomegranate, Punica granatum,
is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree
growing between five and eight meters tall.

Native to the area of modern day Iran and Iraq,
the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus
since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian
areas such as the Caucasus as well as the Himalayas
in Northern India. Today, it is widely cultivated
throughout Turkey, Iran, Syria, Spain, Azerbaijan,
Armenia, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, China, Burma, Saudi Arabia,
Israel, Jordan, Philippines, the drier parts of
southeast Asia, the Mediterranean region of Southern
Europe, and tropical Africa. Introduced into Latin
America and California by Spanish settlers in 1769,
pomegranate is also cultivated in parts of California
and Arizona for juice production.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the fruit is typically
in season from September to February. In the Southern
Hemisphere, the pomegranate is in season from March
to May.

The pomegranate has been mentioned in many ancient
texts, notably the Book of Exodus, the Homeric Hymns
and the Quran. In recent years, it has reached mainstream
prominence in the commercial markets of North America
and the Western Hemisphere.

Punica granatum is grown as a fruit crop plant,
and as ornamental trees and shrubs in parks and
gardens. Mature specimens can develop sculptural
twisted bark multi-trunks and a distinctive overall
form. Pomegranates are drought-tolerant, and can
be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean
winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates.
In wetter areas, they can be prone to root decay
from fungal diseases. They are tolerant of moderate
frost, down to about -10 °C (14 °F).
Insect pests of the pomegranate can include the
pomegranate butterfly Virachola isocrates and the
leaf-footed bug Leptoglossus zonatus. Pomegranate
grows easily from seed, but is commonly propagated
from 25–50 cm hardwood cuttings to avoid
the genetic variation of seedlings. Air layering
is also an option for propagation, but grafting
fails.

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